Türkiye’s Altun lashes out at Israel’s ‘systematic targeting’ of journalists

Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Turkish Communications Director Fahrettin Altun has lashed out at Israel’s “systematic targeting” of journalists in the strongest terms, accusing Tel Aviv of trying to cover up the destruction it brought upon Palestine’s Gaza by intimidating journalists.

Altun’s remarks came after Anadolu Agency photojournalist Mustafa Alkharouf, who was in occupied East Jerusalem for work, got gravely injured when he was attacked by Israeli soldiers on Friday and had to be hospitalised.

“Israel’s violence against journalists is clearly part of their campaign to silence the international media,” Altun wrote on X, condemning the attacks on civilians which have caused the deaths of more than 60 journalists, and wishing Alkharouf a speedy recovery.

“The Israeli forces refuse to do the bare minimum to protect journalists. On the contrary, they are only interested in preventing media workers from doing their jobs to report the truth from the ground,” he added.

Accusing Israel of habitually violating international norms that safeguard the public’s right to accurate information, Altun said Israel has been “trying to cover up the devastation on the ground by intimidating journalists” in an effort to “minimise the international reaction”.

“Their efforts to create a blackout of their war crimes in Gaza will continue to fail. The world has already seen so much thanks to the bravery of media workers and news professionals,” he added.